Conversation
by She's a Star
Summary: "Hermione. You're sick." "I am NOT sick, Ron! I can't be sick! The O.W.L.'s start tomorrow!" Ron attempts to persuade Hermione to visit the Hospital Wing and put studying on hold. Or, in simpler terms, he attempts the impossible.


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Conversation

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by She's a Star

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Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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Author's Note: This was inspired by a few of the fabulous The Mummy works by Eve. Decided I was too lazy to write properly, so instead...wrote this way.

This takes place the day before the O.W.L.'s. Naturally, Hermione's....well, Hermione.

And Ron is Ron.

What a concept.

*

_Achoo!_

"Hermione?"

_Sniffle._ "Wh...wha..." _Achoo!_ "What?"

"You don't look too good."

"Well, _thank you_, Ron. I'm flattered. You're too kind."

"No, I didn't mean it like that. You look...er..." _Akward pause._ "Fine?" _Haughty sniff._ "Don't get all offended. That's not what I meant. You just seem..."

"I seem _what_?"

_Achoo!_

"Sick."

_Sniffle. Sniffle._ "I'm _not_ sick, Ron. I'm _fine_."

_Achoo!_

"Hermione?"

_Annoyed._ "What? Ron, can't you _please_ just hush up and go back to work? The O.W.L.'s start tomorrow, and I'm not nearly as prepared as I should be for History of Magic!"

"What do you mean? You've been studying since this summer!"

"Yes." (_Impatiently._) "But I completely passed over the section with the autobiographical information on Urick the Ugly, and Professor Binns specifically said-"

"That he wouldn't be mentioned on the test! Hermione, you're bloody insane! Why are you going to study for something that's not going to be there?"

_Sniffle._ "But what if he was simply saying that to throw us off? What if he _does_ mention it on the exam, and I'm entirely unprepared? Imagine what that would do to my grade! I've already been dangerously borderlining _horrible_ marks in that class, on account of all You-Know-Who's return, and everything with Harry, and I just _know_ that I'm going to fail, and...and..." _Aaaaccchhhhoooo!_

"Hermione. You're sick."

"I am _not_ sick, Ron!" _Borderlining hysterical. _"I can't be sick! The O.W.L.'s start _tomorrow_! Tomorrow! Imagine what would happen if I missed the first day of testing! Oh, I'd fall so horribly behind, and I'd fail, and some Ravenclaw would have the top marks, and my parents would be ever so disappointed, and-"

_A bit frightened. _"Hermione. Calm. Down."

_Teary now._ "I can't calm down, Ron! Don't you _see_?! If I get sick right now, this could destroy me! All my grades and everything I've worked so hard for...I've been studying since _July_, Ron. _July_! I can't fail now just because I get sick! And I'm-" _Dramatic sniffle, _"-_not_ sick."

_Uneasily. _"Hermione, it's not a big deal. You can just go down to the Hospital Wing and get some Pepper-Up Potion from Madame Pomfrey. You'll probably be better by tomorrow."

"But Ron, don't you see, I don't have time! I need to study! Oh, I'll be up for hours trying to remember this-"

_Officially fed up._ "It's not on the bloody exam, Hermione!!! Snap out of it!"

"You don't understand!" _Rather shrilly now._ "You can't possibly understand! You don't care at all about your grades! All you care about is...is...I don't know! Chess and...Quidditch and girls and..." _Chokes on something that sounds suspiciously like a sob._

"Hermione, that's not true."

_A skeptical eyebrow is raised._

"Okay, all right, it _is_ true. But...I care about other stuff!"

_A semi-indignant sniff._ "Like what?"

_All courage is mustered. _"Like...you."

_Half-awkward, half-awed silence._

_Another sniff. Tentative, this time._

"...Really?"

_Nod._ "Er. Yeah. And you're going to drive yourself bloody insane if you keep worrying."

"....That's almost nice of you, Ron."

"Yeah. Well. Erm."

_A very awkward pause. _

"Where's Harry, anyway?"

"With Ginny, I believe." _Achoo!_

"With...Ginny?"

_Nod._

"_My_. . . Ginny? As in, Ginny Weasley who happens to be my sister Ginny?"

_Another nod._

"That bloody _prat_! I'm going to kill him!"

"Ron-"

"And then ressurrect him! And kill him _again_!"

"Ron!"

"Who does he think he is, just going around with...with _my_ sister-"

"She's helping him study, Ron, it's not a big deal-"

"_She's_ helping him study? She can't help him study! She's younger than us! She hasn't even learned any of what we're being tested on!" _Fists are now clenched._

"Ron, Harry's going through an incredibly hard time right now."

"Well, gee, Hermione, thanks for filling me in there, I don't suppose I could have made that conclusion myself."

_Chiding._ "Don't be snarky. It's just...your sister's very sweet, Ron. I suppose she helps him forget everything else."

_A moment of consideration._

"...Because he's too busy snogging her! Oh, that _git_, I am going to _kill_ him! I-"

"Ron, stop it! You're acting foolishly. He _likes_ her, Ron. Just because they're alone together doesn't mean that they're doing..._that_."

"How do _you_ know?"

"Sometimes just being together is enough."

_More silence. Gazes are expertly avoided. Both think Hermione may be onto something at the moment._

"Er. Hermione?"

"Yes, Ron?"

_A pause. Eyes lock. And then..._

**_ACHOO!_**

_A milisecond of disappointed silence._

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"You're sick."

_A sigh_. "Yes, yes, I suppose you're right." _A woeful glance at History of Magic textbook._ "I guess I should go to the Hospital Wing, then."

_Nod_. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

_More silence._

"Hermione?"

"Yes."

_Sheepishly._ "I'll...er...I'll walk down there with you, if you like."

_A smile._

"I'd like that."

_A grin._

"Me too."


End file.
